Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Trending Fashions for Clothing Photography


Lifestyle or fashion photography has advanced to higher degrees. It is one of the most specialized and lucrative areas for professional shooters to showcase their talent.

Just as the fashion keeps trending so does the ways of keeping the glad rags in the spot light. Reputed fashion houses have their own studios that employ special photos to capture the creative designer collections. Apart from the rich design studios even e-commerce vendors who sell their designs on portals use clothing photography extensively. At one time the clothing photography was confined to brochures, catalogues and other print mediums. Today its usage is in the websites and this makes it a global business. Specialized photos are already devising new methods to stay ahead in the rat race. In fact they are trending the latest fashionable ways to help their clients to sell their designer stocks in the shortest possible time. From time to time we see some of the most stylish examples of photographer done with good taste.

The busiest section involves the still shoots indoors. The most essential tools that are required include soft lens, lights of varying depth, tents and reflectors. Imagine having the wrong kit, for shooting clothes and it is a potential disaster. Already there are many sections diving different clothes-i.e. women, men, kids, sports, and other categories like embroidered clothes and company logos on clothes. For different section there are different kinds of lighting and other tools. Then the client and the photographer will also discuss if the clothes will be shot across on the rack or table top. The use of full mannequins or bust of mannequins is also possible. The Kuhl light 120 soft boxes are very common in use. The tool kit contains 20” flood light and also a stand mount.  The light stands are adjustable, and the diffusion panels can be removed also. It also contains some additional accessories to help the shooting. The regular items include steam iron, foam board, camera tether wide-angle lens. Even Photoshop elements are included in the inventory.

Clothing photography can be very demanding. Now with e-commerce taking charge, the need for clothing vendors on the web is increasing. They need good pictures of the garments and from the right angles. The whole idea is not to deceive the buyer but show the right features of the garment. It is a risk that the photographer takes when he does some gimmicks to highlight some areas of the clothing. For example taking shots of silk ties can be a real task for any professional shooter also. How he will bring out the design for men to buy is an art. It needs planning before the execution. Multiple angles are used for clicking the pictures. They can be made 2 D or 3D depending on the key elements to be highlighted. Sometimes a top angle shot can do the trick. At times the eye level or lower angle may be needed.

A photographer who shoots clothes regular will keep on trending and finding new ways to shoot. The hallmark of a good picture is the minimal effect and maximum exposure to the product. Styling the clothes before the shoot is a necessity.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Mastering the Art of Jewellery Photography


Nothing can be more challenging than shooting tiny pieces of gemstones or delicate pieces of accessories that women wear. And it is equally a stimulus to master the art of jewellery photography with studio infrastructure.

The art of the shooting jewellery items involves a series of techniques, lighting and a systematic method to achieve the finest effects. To start with, the accurate camera with slr is needed to capture the objects. A 35 mm camera with TTL (through the lens) is ideal and most professionals have it in their kitty. Well-known brands like Nikon and Canon have sophisticated models, which are perfect for shooting jewellery photography. The digital cameras for product photography have evolved towards more complex versions for detailing. Since the items are small and exquisite the delicacy needs to be captured in style. To make dangling earrings look attractive to the buyers, the photographs will feature focused lighting. For diamond (solitaires) and pearls (necklaces), soft reflections can do the trick. In the same manner, rubies and emeralds are highlighted with the right sharpness and exposure. Getting the act right will ensure that the shoot does not remain a mystery or a perpetual failure.

Dramatic lighting is essential in this special breed of jewelry product photography. It will take some effort to set up the equipment and get the items displayed. And it requires no super model to prop up its glamour quotient. One undisclosed tip that can really be helpful is that after the shoot, image editing can create the lengthy or short drop shadows for added effects. Before that let’s concentrate on the shoot itself. With the lights, camera action in place the studio will ensure that a clean clutter free table is used. A white satin cloth is draped around for the setting. The photographer decides the sources of lights. It could be a single source or a series of multiple angles. The look can be ‘daylight’ or it could be ‘sepia toned’. These are done with the addition of fluorescent bulbs. Special shutterbugs also use the LED bulb, which is considered a fine diamond sparkler. These are remarkable in getting sharp pictures. The camera can be put into ‘spot mode’ where the focus is directly targeted on the main item-diamond, emerald or pearl stones. The photographer is able to restrict the surrounding jurisdiction of the item. The spot mode is applicable when the close up of the items are targeted. While a user can close in towards the item while shooting, the lens or the hand movement can be unsteady while shooting. A tripod can be a savior. Sharp images can then be clicked.

Some jewels shine when soft lighting is thrown on them. The use of the diffuser on the lens is the key to such shots. In the studio shots there is no need for flash for close up shots. It may overexpose the picture and ruin the hard work. It may also create shadows that may be distractive. Therefore, controlled lights around the jewellery are the best option. These days the trend is to use the compact florescent bulbs is a great balancer. The right exposure brings best results. Mastering the art eventually will take some years and employment of creative skill also.